Obama's message appeals to the emotion of hope, while
Romney's message appeals to the emotions of power and security, says Kowal,
who, as part of his work with consumers, studies the communication of emotions.

He says these were among the emotions the candidates drew
from their audiences at their respective conventions.

"Obama challenged Democrats to become part of a
movement, while Romney asked Republicans to focus on how to recapture the reins
of power to secure the future," Kowal says.

He says those appeals are important because voting is an
emotional process.
"We vote based on attraction, connection and message. We then justify our
choice through a cognitive process, looking at the issues," Kowal says.

He says this is more likely to hold true in a presidential
race than local elections. "On the local level, the process is likely to be
more rational. The needs of the community take precedence over personality."

Kowal says the Democratic convention displayed what he
calls "the emotional contagion."

"A lot
of delegates were crying during Obama's speech," Kowal says. "That's
because once a few started crying, the emotion spread around the convention
center."